


Mother Knows Best

by SnowBeary



Category: Heroes of the Storm (Video Game), Overwatch (Video Game), Warcraft - All Media Types, World of Warcraft
Genre: Battle for Azeroth, Gen, Kul Tiras, World of Warcraft: Legion
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-30
Updated: 2017-11-30
Packaged: 2019-02-04 00:37:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,259
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12759504
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SnowBeary/pseuds/SnowBeary
Summary: Jaina Proudmoore visits the Nexus to work off some frustration and help her normally busy mind escape for a few hours. Ana Amari sits with her after the match, and offers Jaina unexpectedly helpful advice toward what could be a life changing, and healing, decision.





	Mother Knows Best

**Author's Note:**

> Warcraft/Heroes of the Storm crossover. This takes place between Legion and Battle for Azeroth - after Jaina leaves the Kirin Tor but before she returns to Kul Tiras. Parts of this story may be confusing for anyone who is not familiar with Jaina’s storyline in Warcraft or if you’ve never played Heroes of the Storm. Thank you to [CeruleanElf](https://archiveofourown.org/users/CeruleanElf/pseuds/CeruleanElf) for editing & proofing.

Embattled. Thighs aching. Out of breath. As the muscles in her arm, which clutched her staff tightly, strained, Jaina Proudmoore restrained herself from collapsing in fatigue upon the wooden dock in Blackheart’s Bay. This was one of her favorite match locations in the Nexus, if ironically more taxing on her physically. Perhaps it was because she often found herself alone in hustling from point to point, gathering doubloons to turn into the ghostly pirate captain. Regardless, she still enjoyed the experience. The nautical atmosphere provided a welcome familiarity, and the brackish smell of the bay was invigorating. She propped her staff against the railing and sat down on the dock, leaned against a pillar and watched her teammates congratulate each other on their victory as gold continued to steadily flow from the recently shattered enemy core. 

The orc Garrosh Hellscream, who was on the opposing team, lingered by the exit portal and eyed her fellow teammates in disdain as they celebrated. The infuriated scowl on his face warmed her heart. For a moment, they locked eyes. Jaina smirked at him boastfully. He spit toward her on the dock, turned, and walked through the portal exit.

Light, she hated him. Of course he would show up in her Nexus match on a day she sought to escape her mind.....just her luck.

Jaina’s smirk turned into a frown as she allowed herself a moment to remember Theramore. A lump formed in her throat, and she pushed back tears, still reeling from the thoughts of friends killed by the mana bomb explosion that had decimated the city. Her heart ached as she missed them. They say time heals all wounds, but Jaina would never allow that. She welcomed the pain she felt she deserved for failing to protect the city from Garrosh and his Horde. Jaina closed her eyes and tried to rest her mind, breathing in the bay air and listening to the water softly lap against the dock. After a moment, she heard footsteps walking toward her. Opening her eyes, she was surprised to see her match teammate, Ana Amari propping her rifle against the same rail that held her staff. Although somewhat relieved to notice Ana’s breathing as heavy as her own, Jaina released a downtrodden sigh as she remembered Ana was at least two decades her senior. Ana sat down next to Jaina, making herself comfortable.

Jaina said nothing, but smiled at Ana as she sat. She paused for a moment, giving Ana a curious look as she saw the veteran sniper holding a familiar teacup, from which she then proceeded to very properly sip. Ana caught Jaina’s questioning gaze and smiled warmly. “The little panda makes excellent tea,” she said, pausing to smirk as she found amusement in her own statement. Ana casually took another sip as she leaned back to rest against the dock’s pillar.

Jaina chuckled in realization. “Oh, yes, she really does.” She glanced toward the core to watch Li Li Stormstout skipping about happily, bouncing to each teammate and cheerfully asking, “Would you like some tea!?” Tychus bellowed in response, “Hell no, I don’t want any damn sissy juice!”

For a moment, the Pandaren cub’s perkiness reminded Jaina of Kinndy, her young yet highly promising gnome apprentice who was killed at Theramore. She smiled a little, then sighed. She was tired, not just from the match, but her life on Azeroth had become very complicated, painful and frustrating.....more-so than usual. The Council of Six had chosen to disregard her opinion about the threat the Horde posed, as had King Anduin. Jaina fought for years trying to develop peace between the two factions and nobody listened. Now she fought for dismantling the Horde to protect the Alliance, and no one listened. She was so very aggravated, the thought of losing more people to the Horde’s betrayal and hostility was maddening.

The Nexus provided her a secret place to port when she needed to get away and try to release some of her frustration. Jaina had never enjoyed battle aside from the occasional spell sparring match in Dalaran, but lately, she welcomed a good fight - especially if it provided an opportunity to best Garrosh whenever possible. And since this realm somehow brought back to life certain heroes deceased in their own worlds, she was able to once again spend time with some of her lost loved ones. Jaina didn’t know what magic or science made this happen, but she was thankful for it.

Ana glanced curiously over her teacup at Jaina, who was still lost in deep thought. “I noticed you here frowning while the others were celebrating, sorceress. I hope it isn’t because you feel you performed poorly. Had you not frozen the enemy team in place, they would have overwhelmed us at the core.”

Somewhat bemused at Ana’s questioning, but not wanting to be rude, Jaina pushed aside her feelings and smiled softly before responding, “I’m fine, thank you. But I wouldn’t have had the strength to cast that spell had it not been for your dart, which—by the way—really stings, you know....” she confessed, rubbing her sore hip, a small welt already forming from the enhancement shot.

Ana chuckled warmly, “Well, a small price to pay for a helpful boost in one’s own capabilities, hmm?” She sipped her tea again.

Jaina nodded, “Agreed.”

Ana gave her a questioning look and went back to sipping her tea, resting contently. Out of the corner of her eye, Jaina observed her. She looked confident, and carried herself in a way that was proper without being patronizing. She marveled at the decorum of it, here, on a now-near empty battlefield with no society to impress. The way Ana did all of this seemed familiar to Jaina, prodding at her memory without mercy. This familiarity that she could not yet place rooted so deep within her that she felt a weight in the center of her chest. She recognized a warmth about Ana, a comfort to her presence—an odd sort of peace sitting next to her. How very odd. She barely knew the woman. Suddenly, realization hit and a flood of emotional memories crashed upon the forefront of her mind in unrelenting waves. 

“Jaina? .....Jaina?!” a familiar female voice called to her from what seemed like another dimension. A forceful *snap!* directly in front of her face brought Jaina back to reality. Her brow furrowed quickly as she shook her head a bit to regain composure. She was met by Ana’s somewhat concerned stare, her fingers pausing mid-motion in front of Jaina’s face, ready to snap at her again. Now realizing that Jaina had come to, Ana lowered her hand. Jaina cringed internally, realizing all too late the wide-eyed trance she fell into while staring at Ana.

“Ana, I’m so sorry,” said Jaina sheepishly. “It’s just....you remind me of someone. Someone I haven’t seen in a very long time.” She sighed and rubbed her temple as she furrowed her brow in thought again. 

Jaina realized, with surprise, that Ana’s mannerisms—the way she held her cup, held herself, spoke of comfort—mirrored her own mother’s demeanor. Jaina’s eyes fell to Ana’s teacup as another memory washed over her.  
  
  
~~~~~  
  
Taking a short winter break from her studies in Dalaran to visit home, the then-young lady of Kul Tiras and her mother, Katherine, drank tea while chatting and warming themselves by the fireplace on a cold night. Her mother picked up her teacup properly, sipping elegantly. She placed the cup down and reached for the kettle when Jaina interrupted. With hardened mental concentration giving away her newness, the young mage muttered a spell, which lifted up her mother’s kettle, poured the tea into the cup, and set it down upon the serving tray with barely a clank. She repeated the same incantation and dropped two cubes of sugar into the cup as well. Her mother, who normally held herself in a near constant state of refined composure, clapped and laughed cheerfully in excitement.......and then promptly woke Jaina up at daylight the next morning to help finish hanging Winter Veil decorations. “This is much easier with magic!” she had exclaimed as Jaina yawned and recited incantations groggily. 

~~~~~

Jaina heard a *snap!* and was once again pulled back into the present.

“Welcome back,” chuckled an amused Ana.

“Forgive me, Ana.” Jaina replied with a sigh, rubbing her temple again.

Ana waved her hand in the air dismissively. “It’s fine. But I hope these are fond memories you’re getting lost in.” She smiled and sipped her tea again.

Jaina didn’t speak for a moment, pondering again Ana’s response. “This person and I.....haven’t spoken in a long time. I made some mistakes....unforgivable ones.” Jaina paused again. “I don’t think she’d ever want me to come back home, and I don’t blame her.” She sighed heavily and leaned back fully against the dock’s pillar, feeling defeated.

At that, Ana stopped mid-sip, eyeing Jaina, who then shifted uncomfortably. Even with only one eye, the hawk-like gaze, which seemed to see right through her, mirrored the piercing stare of her mother. The older woman appeared lost in thought for a moment only to then give Jaina a knowing smile. “Ah, I see. This person is your mother?” she replied simply. Jaina slumped slightly and looked away from Ana, absentmindedly running her index finger over the wood grain of the dock.

Ana put down her tea cup and leaned back against the dock’s pillar. “Jaina, a word of advice, though you didn’t ask for it.....I think you should let your mother decide for herself how upset she is with you. Perhaps it is time to reconnect, hmm?”

Jaina grimaced.

“Did you have a good relationship with her growing up?” asked Ana.

Jaina paused momentarily. “Yes, of course. She was stern at times, but caring. She was very supportive of my magic even though it was seen as odd by others.” She looked away thoughtfully, “.... We were close for a long time.” 

Ana furrowed her brow, “And you think these unforgivable decisions you say you have made caused her to disown you?”

Jaina nodded as her voice cracked and tears welled up. “I broke my mother’s heart.” Another memory hit her -

~~~~~

Jaina’s heart raced that night—of all nights—she teleported to Kul Tiras after her father’s death. Shadows ominously filled the candle lit room she entered and although nervous, she refused to run from the consequences of her decision to warn the Horde of her father's impending attack. Naively and in tears, she approached her mother, explaining what happened and her way of thinking. Katherine had always taught her to hold firm in what she deemed right. “Stand up for what you believe in, even if it means standing alone,” her mother had often said, and Jaina had been sure she was right to want the Horde’s safety and peace between the Alliance and the Horde. She felt her father's grief had turned into bloodlust.  
  
But this... this was different. She watched through tears as her mother motioned her body to brace against a nearby desk, turning away after listening to Jaina’s story. Katherine said nothing—but to Jaina, this had said everything. Jaina didn’t need to be a well-practiced diplomat to read the agony and anger that her mother attempted to hide behind that stoic expression. After a few minutes Katherine turned again, with angry, tear-filled eyes locked on her daughter. Through gritted teeth, she angrily muttered:  
  
“Go.”  
  
Jaina paused, then stepped forward to softly speak again. Her mother immediately picked up a nearby teacup off the desk and threw it furiously toward Jaina, barely missing her and smashing against \ the wall behind her.  
  
"GET OUT OF MY SIGHT, JAINA!!" Katherine screamed.  
  
Stumbling back, Jaina wept and teleported home to Theramore almost immediately. She had not heard from her mother since. 

~~~~~

Tears welled up in Jaina’s eyes, and she felt a weight in her chest as she confessed, “She was so hurt and furious. There is no apologizing for what I’ve done.”

Ana paused for a moment, then gently placed her hand on Jaina’s arm and spoke softly, “A good mother’s love is unconditional, Jaina. Her temper is another subject....”

Jaina looked at Ana, who smiled at her reassuringly. “Having an intelligent, independent, and strong-willed daughter is one of the most challenging gifts that can be bestowed upon a mother. It can test everything we thought we knew about ourselves....and show us how we can love someone more than we ever thought possible. I think you may find her heart more open for you than you realize.”

Jaina’s brow furrowed as she frowned in disagreement.

Ana smirked, “Well, take it from a mother who also has an intelligent, strong-willed daughter that assumes she knows what her mother is thinking... You girls have no idea what we’re thinking.”

With that, Ana removed her hand from Jaina’s arm and stood up. She picked up her rifle, propped it over an arm and looked back down at Jaina. “Go home to your mother, sorceress. Let her take care of you for awhile, hmm?”

Tears streamed down Jaina’s cheeks as she simply nodded.

Ana turned, walked past the broken core and into the exit portal. When she was gone, Jaina looked down and stared at the teacup Ana had left sitting on the dock. After a few minutes, she wiped away her tears and stood, picking up her staff and heading toward the exit portal.  
She was going home.


End file.
